Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-08-27

hand, great combinations Of
employers such as was never
before known have been
formed on the other hand. The result
OF the weakening on one side and of
the strengthening on the other was
seen in the cases Of the leading strikes,
such rs those of the shoemakers and
street car men. As it is with the
knights of Labor in Massachusetts, so
It is also with those in the other : ates.
Oihclol reports at headquarters show
that in the state of Rhode Island the
strength of the order has diminished
more than four-tifths. The proportion
ate decline in Connecticut has been
fully as great. In New j rsey it has
been less, yet very heavy. In the chief
district in the city of New York the de-
cline has been fully one-half. Reports
OF similar character from other states
are to be found at headquarters and
when the general assembly meets,
three months hence, the papers will
procure statistics very different from
those which were telegraphed from
Richmond in October of last year.
There are doubtless other causes
than this for the recent poor luck of
labor, and political economists will
be ready to deny that this had any
thing to do with it, yet it is a fact that
labor's luck was better during the two
years of rapid organization G88G-D
than it has been since the decline of
organization.
AT the present time striking appears
to have come TO a pause. The strike
OF the bricklayers in Chicago and that
Of the coke-workers in Pennsylvania
nave just ended. The largest strike
yet in progress is that of the 5000 OPP
eratives in the Harmony cotton mills
at Cohoes, New York, who are holding
out for a slight advance in wages.
The managers Of tins strike, who are
local officers of the Knights of Labor,
have resorted TO a somewhat novel cX-
pedient in shipping away the opcr-
atlves TO other localities wherever
work can be procured for them. The
operatives being destitute of the means
Of support, and their general o~rganiza-
ton being unable to maintain them,
ways of relief are thus found without
which the strike would not have been
prolonged.
The most cheering news of late for
the workers Of the country relates to
the settlement of the great bricklayers'
strike in Chicago made by the commit
tee Of arbitration, which consisted of
representatives of both sides, with
Judge Tuley as umpire. No such docu-
ment rs the umpire's report, by which
the activity in the building trades was
restored after the big and bitter strike,
has ever been seen in the country.
After stating that the organizations of
laborers and of capitalists are now
fixed factors in industrial society, the
Judge declares that the business II which
both are engaged is a matter Of Joint
interest to be regulated by Joint ac-
ton" In consequence he secured the
appointment of Il permanent joint com
mittce of five from each organization,
with an umpire belonging TO neither,
who are empowered to fix and deter
mine working rules, rates of wages,
hours of labor, question of apprentice
ship, and other matters, is well as to
settle grievances, SO that strikes, lock-
outs and other disturbances may be
wholly prevented hereafter. AS Doth
sides unanimously agree to adopt this
project, and act upon its provision, we
may look for a better condition of
things henceforward, SO far rs they
are concerned. This certainly is a long
step toward securing better relations
between capital and labor.
John SwINTOr